What do trees, butterflies, spiders and forgotten food traditions have in common? They’re all part of the books that have shaped Bilqis Hijjas’s relationship with the natural world. The Director of Rimbun Dahan and committee member of the Biji Alam Awards, Bilqis joins us and co-host Dylan Jefri Ong (co-founder, Sunda Shelves) to explore how books can help us discover the wildlife around us, preserve traditional knowledge and see familiar creatures and landscapes in a new light. From practical field guides to nature essays and children’s stories, we look at the many ways reading can bring us closer to the world around us.

Nature Reads on Earth Matters is a monthly show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us, done in collaboration with independent bookstore Sunda Shelves.

Works discussed during this episode:

1. Heritage Trees of Penang by Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May

2. A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of Malaysia by Dr Lawrence G. Kirton

3. Recalling Forgotten Tastes by Sharifah Nadhirah

4. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald

5. Aranea: A Story About a Spider by Jenny Wagner and Ron Brooks

6. Barbapapa's Ark by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor